Lakers Handle Magic, 107-98, For Rare Back-To-Back Victories
LOS ANGELES (AP) — D'Angelo Russell scored 27 points, Jordan Clarkson added 24 and the Los Angeles Lakers won consecutive games for the second time since Jan. 3, beating the Orlando Magic, 107-98, Tuesday night.
Julius Randle matched his career high with 23 points and had 11 rebounds in the Lakers' first game since their jaw-dropping victory over defending champion Golden State on Sunday.
Los Angeles followed up that shocker with an outstanding group effort from the three key members of the club's young core. Russell, Randle and Clarkson scored 20 points apiece in the same game for the first time.
Victor Oladipo scored 26 points and Evan Fournier had 23 for the Magic, who have lost three straight.
Kobe Bryant sat out to rest his sore right shoulder. He has skipped four of the last five home games in his farewell season.
Russell, Clarkson and Randle combined for 31 of the Lakers' 39 points in the third while the Lakers matched their highest-scoring quarter of the season. Russell had 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting in the period, securing his sixth 20-point game in nine outings since the rookie No. 2 pick rejoined the starting lineup.
Nobody else on Los Angeles' roster scored more than eight points, but the three young stars gave a tantalizing glimpse of the Lakers' future late in the worst three-season stretch in the 16-time NBA champion franchise's history.
Orlando didn't really threaten down the stretch as the Lakers comfortably held on for their 14th win of the season.
The Lakers improved to 6-24 since Jan. 3 and still sit last in the Western Conference and second-worst in the overall NBA standings.
The Magic have lost on the first two stops of their four-game West Coast road trip.
TIP-INS
Magic: Jason Smith started and scored 10 points despite being questionable with a bruised quadriceps muscle. ... USC product Nikola Vucevic, who hit the game-winning jumper to beat the Lakers in Orlando on Nov. 11, missed his second straight game with a groin strain.
Lakers: Metta World Peace appeared in three straight games for the Lakers for the first time in three months. The veteran forward hit his first 3-pointer since Jan. 10 while scoring four points. ... Bryant's absence disappointed a crowd that included Novak Djokovic, Alex Ovechkin and Robbie Keane. Djokovic has lost fewer tennis matches (46) since 2010 than the Lakers have lost games this season.
UP NEXT
Magic: At Kings on Friday.
Lakers: Host Cavaliers on Thursday.
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